A separate apparatus or a functional unit in a musical apparatus such as a music synthesizer which realizes an arpeggio performance based on key depressions is known in the art and is called an “arpeggiator.” See, for example, unexamined Japanese patent publication No. 2001-022354. In such an arpeggiator, a plurality of key orders (note sounding orders) and sounding time points of the respective keys, constituting, in pairs, an alignment of notes to be sounded, namely, an arpeggio pattern, are stored in an arpeggio pattern memory. The sounding time points represent the starting time points of the respective notes to be sounded in terms of absolute time from the beginning of the sounding pattern or in terms of relative time from the time point of the preceding note. The user depresses the keys of the notes for an arpeggio in a predetermined keyboard region, and the note numbers (i.e. note pitches) of the depressed keys are obtained accordingly. The respective note numbers are assigned to the above-mentioned respective key orders (note orders) according to a predetermined rule, such as in the ascending order of the note pitches. For example, where keys of C4, E4, G4 and C5 are depressed, the C4 key is assigned to the 1st lowest key, the E4 key is assigned to the 2nd lowest key, the G4 key is assigned to the 3rd lowest key and the C5 key is assigned to the 4th lowest key in the arpeggio pattern. At each sounding time point in the arpeggio pattern, each note number assigned to each key order (note sounding order) causes the sounding data of each note to be supplied to the tone generator, as long as the keys are kept depressed for an arpeggio performance.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of an example of how arpeggio patterns are selected according to a conventional apparatus. In an electronic musical apparatus such as a music synthesizer, a timbre-associated arpeggio type groups storing unit 11 stores a plurality of arpeggio pattern data sets 71′1 through 71′N of different arpeggio types in the form of files containing sounding pattern data #1 through #N. There are various arpeggio types including up octave, down octave, up-and-down octave, and random. The user calls an arpeggio type selecting window (not shown) through a selection menu, selects an arpeggio type (e.g. arpeggio type #1) to use the arpeggio pattern data 71′1. The selected pattern data set is supplied to an arpeggio performance data producing unit 7. As the user manipulates one or more keys on a keyboard 8 to designates one or more note numbers for an arpeggio, the arpeggio performance data producing unit 7 produces arpeggio performance data containing data of a successive alignment of notes to constitute an arpeggio based on the selected pattern data from the storing unit 11 and the manipulated key data from the keyboard 8, and outputs the arpeggio performance data to a tone generator (not shown) to generate the tones of the arpeggio constituting notes.
The sounding pattern data set may include data relating to “gate times” (tone sounding durations), “velocities” (tone sounding intensity) and “octave shifts” in addition to the “key order” (note sounding order) at the respective “sounding time points.” With such additional data, every tone will be generated in a length defined by the gate time and in an intensity defined by the velocity, and in a pitch as shifted (up or down) by an octave or actives from the note number which is designated by the keyboard 8. The tempo (i.e. speed) of playing back the performance data (i.e. generating tones according to the data) can be arbitrarily set by the user. Alternatively, the tempo may be automatically controlled by detecting the tempo of the actual performance by the user.
While the above description is about the arpeggio pattern data which are arbitrarily selected by the user or player, the arpeggio pattern data may be automatically selected depending on a timbre or tone color for the arpeggio tones as designated by the user. In the latter situation, the arpeggio pattern data sets 71′1 through 71′N are prepared in association with the timbres in which the arpeggio tones are to be generated. For example, types #1 through #10 are for timbre #1, types #11 through #20 are for timbre #2, types #21 through #30 are for timber #3, and so forth. The timbre allotted to each arpeggio pattern data set (e.g. 71′1) may be easily identified by placing a timbre ID number in the header portion of the file (arpeggio pattern data set). Alternatively, the arpeggio pattern data sets 71′1 through 71′N may be stored in the storage unit 11 separately according to the timbres with which the respective arpeggio pattern data sets are associated. See, for example, registered Japanese patent No. 3,277,844 (FIG. 5 and paragraphs 0028–0031).
When the user designates a timbre, one of the arpeggio pattern data sets prepared for the designated timbre is selected from among the arpeggio pattern data sets stored separately for separate timbres. On such an apparatus, the user will have to merely manipulate the “arpeggio performance designating switch” when the user starts an arpeggio performance in a certain intended timbre, so that the arpeggio pattern data of the arpeggio type prepared and registered for the intended timbre will be available. In another situation, however, the user may want to use an arpeggio type which is not previously associated with the intended timbre or an arpeggio type which is associated with the intended timbre but is not previously registered for that timbre, simply by manipulating the “arpeggio performance designating switch.” In such a situation, the user would have to change from the timber setting menu to an arpeggio type selection menu window, find out the intended arpeggio type in the exhibited window, and select the same, which operation is very troublesome.